Exercise - Take Charge of your Health!

Physical activity is beneficial for your heart and your general health. A regular program of physical activity will enable you to increase your strength gradually and avoid overtaxing your heart.

Exercise can:

• Help increase muscle tone and strength
• Improve your ability to function on a daily basis
• Reduce your HF symptoms (such as shortness of breath and fatigue)

Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be valuable. (In fact, strenuous activities should be avoided.) Before you start any exercise program, be sure to:

1. Discuss it with your HF clinic physician or nurse, and set realistic goals
2. Plan your exercise period when you feel the most energetic, i.e. first thing in the morning, or after an afternoon nap
3. Perform activities, such as stretching, while sitting down whenever possible
4. Rest frequently between periods of exercise. You may want to perform shorter activities several times per day, depending on your energy level, for example, a 10-minute walk in the morning, followed by a 10-minute stretch in the afternoon, followed by a 10-minute evening walk

Stretching Exercises

Side-to-side looks: Look straight ahead, slowly turn your head to one side, hold for 10 seconds, then return to centre. Repeat 3 times on each side.

Shoulder shrugs: Sitting in a chair, slowly lift your shoulders up to your ears by squeezing your shoulder blades together, pause, then lower. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Shoulder circles: Extend both arms sideways at shoulder height. Rotate arms 10 times in small forward circles. Repeat circling back.

Walking

Walking is a simple and effective exercise and is an ideal way to improve your activity level and get more physically fit. Here are guidelines for starting a walking program, but make sure your discuss your plans during a clinic visit before you begin.

Set Personal Goals

• Make exercise part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth and showering
• Choose a friend to exercise with
• Choose a type of exercise you enjoy
• Keep a journal of your activities. This not only reinforces your exercise habits, it will also show your doctor the progress you are making.

Exercises to Avoid

• Heavy lifting
• Pushing heavy objects
• Shoveling snow
• Climbing stairs
• Sit-ups or push-ups
• Competitive sports
• Heavy housework – washing windows, scrubbing floors
• Racquetball, squash, tennis

STOP Exercising Immediately if you:

• Become short of breath
• Feel weak, tired, or dizzy
• Feel any physical discomfort at all
• Feel your heart rate speeding up
• Have palpitations
• Are in pain

Sexual Activity

Your HF diagnosis does not mean you cannot have sex. In general, you may continue your normal sexual activities. But it is recommended that you avoid having sex:

• If you are tired or tense
• After a heavy meal
• After completing an activity that has already required you to use up a great deal of energy